Take the Monitoring Your Type 1 Diabetes quiz.

Give you the feedback you need to keep your blood glucose in target range

Not be necessary, as long as you eat right

Monitoring alone does not change the blood glucose level, but the only way to know if you are keeping your blood glucose levels in the target range is to monitor your blood glucose. While it is important to eat a healthy diet, diet alone may not be sufficient. Monitoring your blood glucose will give you the feedback you need.

Monitor your blood glucose more frequently when:

You are sick

You are traveling

Your routine changes

Your diabetes medication changes

You are more active or exercising

All of the above

All of the answers are correct. However, the best answer is "All of the above". Illness, traveling, lifestyle changes, diabetes medication, and increased activity can all impact your blood glucose control. Monitor your blood glucose more frequently on these occasions to be sure your blood sugar levels are on target.

Alternative site testing is NOT recommended when:

You feel like your blood glucose might be low

You have eaten or exercised within the last 2 hours

You have hypoglycemia unawareness and donâ€™t feel the symptoms of low blood glucose

All of the above

All of the choices are correct. However, the best answer is "All of the above". Fingerstick testing is the most accurate reflection of sugar levels in the blood stream. Alternative site testing lags behind fingerstick testing by 20 minutes or more. Alternative site testing is similar to fingerstick testing only when the blood sugar is steady, and not moving rapidly up or rapidly down. If you really had a low blood sugar, the alternative site testing result might be misleadingly high. This could lead to making the wrong decision to reach your target blood glucose level by not eating a carbohydrate-containing snack (PDF) or taking other corrective action.

Using a continuous glucose monitor means:

You won't have to do fingerstick testing with a meter anymore

Readings can be used for making immediate treatment decisions

You will have trend information that can help you manage your blood glucose more effectively

Many people find the information about their blood glucose trends very helpful in managing their care, and have been able to increase the time their blood sugars are in the target range. Before making any immediate treatment decisions, you will still need to do traditional blood glucose testing to verify a glucose level determined by a sensor. The sensors still have to be calibrated or reconciled with blood glucose readings obtained with a blood glucose meter, and the continuous glucose sensor results have to be verified before you change your therapy.